For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 15, 2012

Yeah, mugged by your friend Gordon. That cheapskate!

I wouldn’t. If I were Michael’s mother,I’d let him suffer a little for his greedy ways. Let him earn that $4.00 back.

Not so fast.

It was a legitimate business offer and acceptance. The only thing we don’t know is how accurate the hours were. It is implied that they were short but we don’t really know for sure. In either case, it was valuable (and a cheap), lesson for Mike.

I’m with TheSkulker. Why should Mike get his money back? He got to use the skates. He agreed to the terms as far as the time limit and who got to decide. If he were really thinking, he might figure out something he could rent out to his friends.

I don’t understand. How was Michael greedy? And what valuable lesson? That your very good friend will screw you over for that all important dollar. That’s harsh.

Welcome to America, Michael – the land of con artists and greedy people.

Taken for a ride is more like it!!

Going to skate around the issue.

Let’s see, someone rents someone something and that somehow makes him a crook, and maybe even a Republican. Eg. all people that rent, like say, shoes at the bowling alley, are therefore crooked Republicans. I learn something everyday.

It’s funny how in the third panel he thinks that it’s the “truth” when really he’s making up a story.

But he’s down $4 which means he rented them twice. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

Short – renting something doesn’t make you a crook, but kids making money deals is not right. They have to learn somehow, but it needs to be limited.

I think you need a new friend, Michael. A real friend would let you borrow them for free.

Similar to “rent to own” schemes. By the time you own it, you’ve paid double what it’s worth, and by then it’s worn out!

I think it’s the idea that the renting was set up as a scam and not the renting by itself. The reference wasn’t aimed at all people who rent out equipment. Read what was actually said.

Sheesh! This comic can stir up some folks.

@GreggWAnnnnd you’d be totally wrong! But thanks for playing Jackass of the Day.

Seriously, why see Michael as the victim here? Why should Gordon let Mike use his skates, wear them down and possibly even break them, for nothing? Sure, Gordon soaked Mike for the money, but Mike agreed up front to the terms. He didn’t have to say yes. And he’s done his share of dirty, lowdown things in this strip, too. If he’s willing to lie to his mother, what are the odds he’d lie to Gordon if he accidentally broke the skates? Or what about when Gordon wanted them back? Whether or not Mike paid for the time, he’d still feel it wasn’t long enough.

They’re kids and sometimes, kids have to learn the hard way how to be sensible about money, borrowing and lending. Mike’s not going to learn a thing if his mother keeps giving him everything he wants and bailing him out when he makes dumb decisions.

Keep in mind, Michael was not forced to do this. Gordon made an offer and Michael accepted. A deal depends on two factors, a seller and a buyer. If Michael felt that it was too expensive to rent skates from Gordon, he would have said “no thanks”.

The “I was mugged” remark was likely Mike’s way to try and save face. As you can see in the subsequent strip, he came clean with his mom. I believe there was a later strip where Elizabeth ruined the milk carton on an errand and made up a whopper about how she got mugged, then how that panned out.